All about spraying grapes in spring

The first processing of grapes after opening in early spring is carried out before bud break by spraying the vine. But, in addition to this necessary protection measure, there are other procedures that allow you to protect plants from diseases and pests, stimulating the growth and development of shoots. To understand how and when grapes can be treated with iron sulfate or other chemicals, a detailed review with step-by-step action plans will help.

The need for a procedure

Spraying grapes in the spring is a necessary measure to take care of the plants and prepare them for the new fruiting season. Many garden pests and pathogens hibernate in the soil or buds, awakening with the onset of warm days. Timely preventive treatment helps to reduce the risks of infection, gives an immunostimulating charge to plants. Neglecting spring protection measures, the grower leaves open ways for the defeat of grapes:

• powdery mildew, covering the leaves with a characteristic white coating;
• mildew, giving yellow spotting;
• white, gray or black rot;
• anthracnose.

And also aphids, spider mites, phylloxera can winter on the bushes. In the spring, when the vine awakens, leafworms, thrips, and slugs begin to take an active interest in the young shoots. Signs of infection of the bushes look quite obvious. Leaves and cuttings show damage or patchy discoloration. There is deformation, drying of the shoots.

All these symptoms require an immediate response even before the plants enter the flowering stage, otherwise it will be difficult to wait for the harvest.

What means are used?

The vineyard in the spring must be treated for diseases – mildew, oidium, as well as for pests. For these purposes, complex preparations are used, as well as individual means of biological or chemical action.

Some modern manufacturers produce combined insecticidal and fungicidal spray formulations. But grapes also need local treatments aimed at combating specific sources of problems.

chemical

Among the preparations used in the processing of the vineyard in the spring, it is the means of this group that manifest themselves better than others. Spraying plants entering the growing season can be done by various means.

• Inkstone. Usually it is used in the fall, but in the spring such spraying will also bring results. Spray the solution over the bare vine.
• Copper sulfate. In viticulture, it is used in the form of a 3% solution. Copper sulphate acts in a complex way, killing fungal spores, repelling insects, and provides additional feeding. The tool is presented in the form of a blue crystalline powder, has a contact, surface action. It is used in the fight against downy mildew, gray, white and black rot, anthracnose.
• Urea (urea). An agent that is a source of nitrogen. In foliar application it also has fungicide properties.
• Bordeaux liquid. It contains copper sulphate and quicklime, which reduces acidity. The composition has been used for many years as a fungicide in vineyards in Bordeaux.
• Horus. This fungicidal drug belongs to the category of systemic, presented in the form of water-dispersible granules containing 75% cyprodinil. The remedy is effective against the most common fungal diseases – powdery mildew, spotting, rot, mildew and oidium. Application of a chemical pesticide is recommended on bare vines, before bud break.
• Colloidal sulfur. This chemical preparation is highly effective against both fungi and insect pests. Sulfur is detrimental to oidium and mildew pathogens.
• Quadrice. The drug based on azoxystrobin is well combined with other types of fungicides. It is suitable for processing before and after flowering. Successfully fights against downy and true powdery mildew.
• Bi-58. Contact insecticide. Effective when the atmospheric temperature rises to +10 degrees or more. The ampoule is dissolved in a bucket of water. The tool destroys spider mites, aphids, and other types of insects.
• “Ridomil Gold”. Combined preparation of systemic action, capable of penetrating into plant tissues. It has a preventive effect against most fungal diseases. Spraying is performed repeatedly from the moment the buds open, with an interval of 14 days.

The main features of chemicals are their limited action. Some are effective only with contact application. As soon as the leaves begin to actively form on the plant, it is worth switching to means of cumulative action and systemic fungicides.

Biological

This group of drugs contains substances that are natural enemies of pathogenic microflora. Here are the most famous ones.

• “Mikosan”. The active substance in this remedy is called the same as the drug itself. Spraying is carried out on the first leaves in a proportion of 250 ml per 10 liters of water. A feature of the biological product is a ban on its joint use with other formulations. Mikosan effectively suppresses fungal and bacterial microflora, destroys viruses.
• “Fitosporin-M”. Another preparation with a biological basis from a mixture of humin and hay bacillus. Spring processing is carried out during bud break, then again at the end of flowering. The solution is prepared in 2 stages with a change in concentration.
• “Aktofit”. A biological product for spraying based on agravertin, a product of the vital activity of a soil fungus. The remedy helps to fight spider mites and bunch leafworm on grapes.
• Trichodermin. It is based on a saprophyte capable of destroying organic matter. The drug is effective against more than 50 types of infectious diseases. Release form – granules or liquid. Low toxicity, well suited for combination with other drugs, the treatment is performed twice, on the first leaves, and then 3 weeks after their appearance.

People’s

For spring processing of vineyards, folk remedies can be used. Most often they are prepared on the basis of available ingredients.

• Garlic. A decoction is prepared from its heads of last year’s harvest – 100 g per 1 liter of water is enough, the resulting product is infused for 2-3 hours, filtered, diluted to 1,6 liters. Mildew treatments are carried out 2-3 times with an interval of 5 days.
• Milk. A liter of whey or a slightly sour product is mixed with 10 liters of water. This spraying prevents the spread of powdery mildew.
• Маргацовка. A mixture of 10 liters of water and 3 g of powder is enough. A weak solution disinfects the soil, eliminates spores of fungal diseases. Such a tool is safe to use even during flowering and fruiting.

Processing schemes

The standard scheme for spring processing of grapes involves at least 3 procedures. The first – iron vitriol – is considered optional, but is used by most experienced vine growers. It is necessary to spray the bushes in early spring immediately after opening, in March, before the buds open, the appearance of young shoots. Treatments for preventive purposes, but with other dosages of funds, are stored until autumn. The spraying schedule is worth studying in more detail.

The main steps are as follows.

• After taking cover. Plants are tied up, sprayed with compounds of complex action. Spraying can be repeated after 10-14 days.
• By the opening buds, with the appearance of the first leaves.
• At the stage of budding. During this period professional treatments without pesticides are used, with a minimum concentration of active substances.

The characteristics of each spray also matter. It is worth considering them in more detail.

In early spring

On a bare vine, processing begins when the air in the vineyard warms up to +4 degrees Celsius and above. During this period, contact agents that form a protective film on the surface of the vine are considered the most effective. They work best with preventive spraying against the fungus. It is important to spray funds not only on the shoots, but also on the surface of the soil, where pests can hide.

If copper sulfate is used for spring processing, the solution is prepared exclusively in non-metallic containers. A mixture of 50 g of powder and 10 liters of water is enough for young bushes. For a mature vine, the amount of copper sulfate is doubled.

Bordeaux vineyard liquid is used on both bare branches and leaves. You can make your own mixture by combining the following ingredients:

• 300 g quicklime;
• 300 g of copper sulfate;
• 10 L of water.

All components are connected in a certain order. First, the water is heated to +60 degrees, otherwise the ingredients will not dissolve. Then the lime is poured to the bottom of an empty bucket, filled with 1/5 of the total liquid volume. This will activate the process of its extinction. Separately, in another container, combine the remaining water with copper sulfate. The resulting base is poured into a bucket of lime. All ingredients are mixed with a wooden stick. Then the composition is cooled and filtered. After that, you can immediately proceed to spraying, since the solution is not stored for a long time. After 5 hours, it will change the consistency.

Colloidal sulfur is effective not only when processing bare vines. But in early spring, a solution of 40 g of powder per 10 liters of water helps to increase the protection of young plants. Usually spraying them is combined with treatment with copper-containing preparations. It is important to take into account that the insecticidal properties of colloidal sulfur are better manifested at an atmospheric temperature of at least +18 degrees, and spraying can be repeated during the flowering period.

Insecticide treatments on bare branches, swelling buds are carried out with Vermitek or 30B preparations. The products are not suitable for use in other periods of the growing season.

By emerging leaves

During this period, spraying is performed with systemic fungicides or biological products with a repetition of the procedure 2-4 times. The main problem is represented by fungal diseases, the pathogens of which are actively spreading with an increase in atmospheric temperatures. Plants will have to be protected from mildew, oidium, anthracnose and black spot. For processing at this stage, before flowering, compatible chemicals “Quadris”, “Ridomil Gold” are used.

It is important to rotate them periodically to avoid developing tolerance to fungicides in pathogenic fungi.

At the stage of budding

During this period, mainly systemic drugs are used. Treatments are performed twice, if signs of the disease are detected, their number is increased up to 4 times. At this stage, it is better to abandon pesticides in favor of Trichodermin, Mikosan and other biological products.